Hi, someone told me that Zbrush did not do animation. I was looking at programs that I could use for game figures, terrain, etc. If Z doesn't do animation what program do you use your zbrush figures with? I'm guessing that someone out there uses zbrush for game art and models in video games.

I was also curious what you do with your models that are not game oriented. I know this is vague and hopefully doesn't break any rules of the site, but what do you do? Do you sell them? If they aren't animated I am having a hard time know what you do with them in the CG industry.

Thank you for on both questions.

STEVONATRON

02-25-2010, 11:20 AM

Hi John

It depends on what you want to do with your model. In almost all cases (that I'm aware of) zbrush is pretty much used only as a sculpting tool to achieve higher detail that other 3d programs can't provide without breaking your machine.

Usually in the games industry zbrush models are taken down to their lowest poly level then transferred across with normal map/cavity/displacement/whatever into applications such as 3ds Max, Maya, etc, then animated or whatever is wanted with it.

If you're not modelling for the games industry then, well it's up to you what to do with it. I know some developers buy models from time to time, but it's not common practice.

johnnyTalks

02-25-2010, 01:10 PM

Hi John

It depends on what you want to do with your model. In almost all cases (that I'm aware of) zbrush is pretty much used only as a sculpting tool to achieve higher detail that other 3d programs can't provide without breaking your machine.

Usually in the games industry zbrush models are taken down to their lowest poly level then transferred across with normal map/cavity/displacement/whatever into applications such as 3ds Max, Maya, etc, then animated or whatever is wanted with it.

If you're not modelling for the games industry then, well it's up to you what to do with it. I know some developers buy models from time to time, but it's not common practice.

I wonder because the CG programs seem to sell a lot of programs and I didn't know what non-commercial people did with their work. I would like to learn to do it all but other than a video game or something I don't know what people do for a living (maybe movies, tv.) There's a million messages on CG, so again, I just wonder if they are mostly enthusiasts of do it for a living some how.

mattlev6

02-25-2010, 02:34 PM

Yes, the models created in ZBrush can be used for games, tv, film, web, physical model/toy/figure making, etc..
Each medium will have its own needs and requirements with how the sculpt is treated and finished before sending it to the next stop in the pipeline. As was mentioned before, this can be exporting a low poly version with normal, cavity, or displacements maps, or decimating the sculpt and exporting it in a 3D printing friendly format, which can sometimes be an obj, but not always.
In my personal work, I usually export a decimated finished model to Maya, where i do my materials and lighting, then render in mental ray, then finish up with environments and backgrounds in photoshop, then often sell prints.
But yes, if you're going to animate a model, you will need to do all of that (rigging, weighting, keying) in a more general 3D app, such as Maya, Max, C4D, Blender, Lightwave, etc..

johnnyTalks

02-25-2010, 04:36 PM

Yes, the models created in ZBrush can be used for games, tv, film, web, physical model/toy/figure making, etc..
Each medium will have its own needs and requirements with how the sculpt is treated and finished before sending it to the next stop in the pipeline. As was mentioned before, this can be exporting a low poly version with normal, cavity, or displacements maps, or decimating the sculpt and exporting it in a 3D printing friendly format, which can sometimes be an obj, but not always.
In my personal work, I usually export a decimated finished model to Maya, where i do my materials and lighting, then render in mental ray, then finish up with environments and backgrounds in photoshop, then often sell prints.
But yes, if you're going to animate a model, you will need to do all of that (rigging, weighting, keying) in a more general 3D app, such as Maya, Max, C4D, Blender, Lightwave, etc..

Are you saying you can export from zbrush to a lower poly count or does another program lower the poly count?

Other than that I'm asking what people actually do for a living with zbrush. I find it amazing that I can find very few job listings, the programs cost a lot of money, but most people don't seem to be doing it for a living. Again, curiosity, mostly.

musashidan

02-25-2010, 05:26 PM

Zbrush is just another tool in an artists workflow. So you don't get hired as a bloke who knows Zbrush but rather on the basis that you are an artist-be it generalist/texture artist/modeler/etc- that happens to know how to use Zbrush. Most people would know many different apps and would be comfortable using them together as part of a pipeline or workflow.
So Zbrush could be used for concepting,sculpting, texturing, retopologising,map baking, or an animator might use it to create facial expressions for morph targets. An illustrator might use Zbrush solely to create a piece. Or someone who works for an toy/action figure company may use it to create models for physical 3D prints.
as i said, it's just a tool in a toolbox. So you wouldn't hire a bloke who knew how to use a spanner but you would if he was a plumber with alot more tools in his box. :D

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